In the fast-paced world of business, how will you stand out? Creating wonderful events & experiences with your team, current customers, and future customers is one of the best ways to stand out from the crowd. Whether you’re looking to host a product launch, conference, team-building retreat, or dinner, effective event planning can significantly impact your company's overall success and image.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll walk you through the nine essential steps to ensure your corporate event is a resounding success!

Step 1: Define Your Objectives (& Choose a Theme)

Everything good starts with a little bit of planning! So, chat with your team about your objectives for the corporate event. Are you aiming to increase brand awareness? Increase and foster team communication and collaboration? Or to launch a new product?

Understanding your goals is essential as it will shape every aspect of the planning process AND help you measure the event’s success.

Along with defining your objectives, choose a theme for your event! Your theme should align with your objectives; for example: If you want to increase team productivity, a wellness theme would be perfect! Our team loves to create a Pinterest board surrounding our theme and objectives, but I’ll leave that up to you.

Step 2: Create a Budget

Establish a budget that covers ALL aspects of the event, from venue to catering to entertainment to marketing. Be realistic and allocate funds according to your priorities for the event. Remember this: Events always end up costing more than you expect. Think through every detail now so you don’t have to adjust your budgets later.

Step 3: Find an Event Planner & (Optional) Sponsors

Event planning is an intensive process. Hiring a partial or full-service event planner can relieve much of that stress. Either appoint someone in-house to manage and plan your event or hire someone professional.

Oftentimes, you can reach out to other similar companies to acquire sponsors! This can help you with the marketing and promotional side of the event, along with the cost. If you choose to go this route, a professional event planner is recommended.

Step 4: Choose the Right Venue

A great venue sets the right mood for your event! The Rooftop Lehi is the perfect venue for your corporate gathering. Its location in the heart of Lehi, Utah, makes it ideal for a corporate event. The Rooftop can accommodate up to 700 guests! However, you can host a wonderful intimate event here as well.

The Rooftop is a contemporary space with floor-to-ceiling windows featuring a breathtaking view of the Utah mountains and valley. It’s the perfect location for year-round events! Inquire today.

Step 5: Choose Vendors

Choose vendors according to your event's objectives, theme, and budget! Food & entertainment are a must; you can get creative depending on the size of your budget. Thinking outside the box will make your event more desirable to attend!

Step 6: Create an Event Timeline & Attendee Map

Now it’s time to plan the day of the event. Choose the overall structure and program of your event. Will it be loose and open-flowing? Or will it have a structured program?

Additionally, create an attendee map by picturing yourself as an attendee walking through the event timeline. Doing this exercise helps you consider details you may have missed along the way.

Step 7: Market & Promote the Event

An event is only good if there are people there to enjoy it! Create a marketing strategy to generate buzz and attract attendees to your event. Use your resources, including social media, email campaigns, and other promotional channels, to reach your target audience. Clearly communicate the value and unique aspects of your event to encourage attendance.

Step 8: Host the Event

On the day of the event, breathe! Hosting an event can be stressful, but you’ve got this. Be sure to plan adequate time for set-up and take-down. Additionally, communicate with your vendors before and during the event to ensure smooth sailing. Good luck!

Step 9: Evaluate the Experience

Congratulations on hosting an event! After an event, always conduct a thorough evaluation to assess its success and identify areas for improvement. Gather feedback from attendees, analyze key performance indicators, and document lessons learned. This feedback and evaluation will help you improve future events!

Corporate Event Planning 101: Our 9 Step Guide